Board Game BarrageThu, 23 May 2019 08:55:26 +0000Thu, 23 May 2019 08:59:29 +0000Libsyn WebEngine 2.0https://boardgamebarrage.com
enhttps://boardgamebarrage.comboardgamebarrage@gmail.com (boardgamebarrage@gmail.com)http://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/f/f/4/8/ff48af5b152e3012/NEW_PODCAST_ICON_SQUARE_1400p.jpgBoard Game BarrageBoard Game Barragebarrage,board,boardgame,boardgames,game,games,gaming,kalen,mark,neilannoboardgamebarrage@gmail.comepisodic#69: Bang for Your BuckThu, 23 May 2019 08:55:26 +0000Everyone likes to get the most out of their hard-earned cash, but what is a board game worth? Maybe it doesn't matter what's inside the box, maybe the real value is the friends we made along the way? Haha, just kidding, it's totally all about the miniature total. Before we count components, we also talk about Aerion, Overbooked, Dinosaur Island, and Lancaster.

01:03 - Fool! 05:38 - Aerion 13:06 - Fireball Island: The Curse of Vul-Kar 22:24 - Listener Questions 22:48 - Best portable games? 23:29 - Oink Games 23:54 - Sprawlopolis 24:07 - SHH 25:01 - No Thanks! 25:10 - Skull 25:51 - Illusion 26:22 - Are reviewers biased towards more social games? 28:48 - Blood on the Clocktower 32:15 - Cosmic Encounter 33:08 - Convention tips? 34:52 - Nyctophobia 37:47 - Best licensed game? 38:02 - Dune 38:22 - XCOM: The Board Game 38:34 - The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 39:01 - Play new games or replay old ones? 39:37 - Why does Neilan have the best voice? 41:05 - ?!?!]]>Letters! You love writing them, and we love reading them! This week, we look at portable and licensed games, why reviewers love social games, and give advice for your first board game convention. Before we break out the letter opener, we also talk about Fool!, Aerion, and Fireball Island: The Curse of Vul-Kar. 01:03 - Fool! 05:38 - Aerion 13:06 - Fireball Island: The Curse of Vul-Kar 22:24 - Listener Questions 22:48 - Best portable games? 23:29 - Oink Games 23:54 - Sprawlopolis 24:07 - SHH 25:01 - No Thanks! 25:10 - Skull 25:51 - Illusion 26:22 - Are reviewers biased towards more social games? 28:48 - Blood on the Clocktower 32:15 - Cosmic Encounter 33:08 - Convention tips? 34:52 - Nyctophobia 37:47 - Best licensed game? 38:02 - Dune 38:22 - XCOM: The Board Game 38:34 - The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 39:01 - Play new games or replay old ones? 39:37 - Why does Neilan have the best voice? 41:05 - ?!?!]]>45:18cleansocial,games,voice,no,blood,game,board,portable,thing,infection,convention,island,dune,cosmic,skull,fool,illusion,31,accent,curse,fireball,encounter,thanks,outpost,oink,xcom,clocktower,licensed,shh,sprawlopolis,neilan,nyctophobia,vulkar,aerionfull#67: Shelf LifeThu, 09 May 2019 10:21:42 +0000We're well into May, so it's about time we did some spring cleaning. We talk about the games that have recently left our collection, and why it was their time to go. It's not always an easy thing, but I'm sure they're being loved by someone else on a farm upstate. Before we out with the old, we talk about Space Base: The Emergence of Shy Pluto, Hyperborea, and Clockwork Wars.

02:28 - Space Base: The Emergence of Shy Pluto 09:03 - Hyperborea 20:06 - Clockwork Wars 30:51 - Games that have left our collections 31:03 - Lowlands 34:12 - Key to the City: London 36:33 - Raptor 38:27 - Magic Maze 40:41 - Chinatown 43:32 - Yamataï 44:51 - Things we're looking forward to]]>We're well into May, so it's about time we did some spring cleaning. We talk about the games that have recently left our collection, and why it was their time to go. It's not always an easy thing, but I'm sure they're being loved by someone else on a farm upstate. Before we out with the old, we talk about Space Base: The Emergence of Shy Pluto, Hyperborea, and Clockwork Wars. 02:28 - Space Base: The Emergence of Shy Pluto 09:03 - Hyperborea 20:06 - Clockwork Wars 30:51 - Games that have left our collections 31:03 - Lowlands 34:12 - Key to the City: London 36:33 - Raptor 38:27 - Magic Maze 40:41 - Chinatown 43:32 - Yamataï 44:51 - Things we're looking forward to]]>49:03cleangames,space,life,maze,magic,wars,game,board,london,city,collection,key,shy,chinatown,base,shelf,clockwork,raptor,emergence,pluto,lowlands,yamatai,hyperboreafull#66: The Only Winning MoveThu, 02 May 2019 11:47:34 +0000Dominant strategies can ruin a game; if there's one clear best way to win, why not use it every time? We discuss these optimal strategies, whether they're always problematic, and how to deal with them at your game table. Before we break the game, we talk about A Feast for Odin: The Norwegians, Lost Cities: Rivals, and Second Chance.

03:16 - PUSH 04:53 - A Feast for Odin: The Norwegians 12:30 - Lost Cities: Rivals 18:12 - Second Chance 26:31 - Dominant Strategies 27:17 - A Feast for Odin 27:57 - A Few Acres of Snow 28:16 - Blood Rage 30:48 - Magic: The Gathering 32:45 - London 34:19 - Great Western Trail 36:39 - Chess 38:18 - Cthulhu Wars 43:36 - Food Chain Magnate 45:22 - Dominion 46:30 - Battle for Rokugan 46:51 - Kemet 48:53 - Ticket to Ride]]>Dominant strategies can ruin a game; if there's one clear best way to win, why not use it every time? We discuss these optimal strategies, whether they're always problematic, and how to deal with them at your game table. Before we break the game, we talk about A Feast for Odin: The Norwegians, Lost Cities: Rivals, and Second Chance. 03:16 - PUSH 04:53 - A Feast for Odin: The Norwegians 12:30 - Lost Cities: Rivals 18:12 - Second Chance 26:31 - Dominant Strategies 27:17 - A Feast for Odin 27:57 - A Few Acres of Snow 28:16 - Blood Rage 30:48 - Magic: The Gathering 32:45 - London 34:19 - Great Western Trail 36:39 - Chess 38:18 - Cthulhu Wars 43:36 - Food Chain Magnate 45:22 - Dominion 46:30 - Battle for Rokugan 46:51 - Kemet 48:53 - Ticket to Ride]]>53:35cleangames,second,lost,game,strategy,board,strategies,feast,push,cities,rivals,chance,dominant,optimal,odin,norwegiansfull#65: Board Games and ChillThu, 25 Apr 2019 09:00:00 +0000Slow down. Why're you always in such a rush? Kick off your shoes, join us on the couch and enjoy a nice, tall, refreshing ... board game. We're counting down our five favourite relaxing games, the ones we're drawn to at the end of a long game night. Before we slip into something more comfortable, we also talk about Heaven & Ale, Men At Work, and Yellow & Yangtze.

01:41 - Tiny Towns 07:23 - Zendo 13:24 - Escape Plan 29:52 - Are games fun no matter what? 38:05 - Horse Fever 38:39 - Dominant Species 39:35 - Loopin' Louie 44:46 - One Night Ultimate Werewolf]]>We're being serious. Are board games a base line level of fun that we ought to take for granted? We're all together, we're all playing a game, that's better than doing nothing, right? It couldn't possibly be that simple with us. Before we arithmetise entertainment, we also talk about Tiny Towns, Zendo, and Escape Plan. 01:41 - Tiny Towns 07:23 - Zendo 13:24 - Escape Plan 29:52 - Are games fun no matter what? 38:05 - Horse Fever 38:39 - Dominant Species 39:35 - Loopin' Louie 44:46 - One Night Ultimate Werewolf]]>54:06cleanhorse,ultimate,games,fun,night,game,one,board,werewolf,fever,plan,louie,escape,species,tiny,towns,dominant,zendo,loopinfull#63: Hype MenThu, 11 Apr 2019 09:07:45 +0000The train's pulling into the station and you've got a ticket, because this week we're talking all about hype. Why do we get irrationally excited about games we know nothing about? How much should we listen to our overly excited inner selves? Before it's all aboard, we also talk about Reykholt, PUSH, and Great Western Trail.

]]>The train's pulling into the station and you've got a ticket, because this week we're talking all about hype. Why do we get irrationally excited about games we know nothing about? How much should we listen to our overly excited inner selves? Before it's all aboard, we also talk about Reykholt, PUSH, and Great Western Trail.

]]>51:02cleantrail,games,blood,game,western,mars,board,continent,great,el,7th,grande,birmingham,train,push,brass,hype,res,terraforming,arcana,clocktower,gloomhaven,reykholtfull#62: A Melange of Games to Play AgainThu, 04 Apr 2019 09:00:00 +0000It's all well and good playing the newest, hottest games, but that doesn't stop us wanting to go back to some of the old goodies. We're counting down our top five games we want to revisit, to enjoy once more as we did in our youth. Relatively speaking. Before we get all wistful, we also talk about Eye My Favourite Things, On Tour, and Dune.

01:12 - Eye My Favourite Things 06:18 - On Tour 12:28 - Dune 18:40 - Cosmic Encounter 24:44 - Rex: Final Days of an Empire 26:10 - Root 31:55 - Games We Want to Play More 33:00 - Libertalia 34:19 - Ricochet Robots 37:01 - XCOM: The Board Game 39:09 - Ascending Empires 40:16 - Automobiles 42:22 - Kitchen Rush 43:52 - Two Rooms and a Boom 46:17 - Tribune: Primus Inter Pares 48:00 - Seasons 49:53 - Yokohama 50:56 - SpaceCorp 52:50 - The Voyages of Marco Polo 54:19 - Root 55:34 - Container 56:36 - Lords of Hellas]]>It's all well and good playing the newest, hottest games, but that doesn't stop us wanting to go back to some of the old goodies. We're counting down our top five games we want to revisit, to enjoy once more as we did in our youth. Relatively speaking. Before we get all wistful, we also talk about Eye My Favourite Things, On Tour, and Dune. 01:12 - Eye My Favourite Things 06:18 - On Tour 12:28 - Dune 18:40 - Cosmic Encounter 24:44 - Rex: Final Days of an Empire 26:10 - Root 31:55 - Games We Want to Play More 33:00 - Libertalia 34:19 - Ricochet Robots 37:01 - XCOM: The Board Game 39:09 - Ascending Empires 40:16 - Automobiles 42:22 - Kitchen Rush 43:52 - Two Rooms and a Boom 46:17 - Tribune: Primus Inter Pares 48:00 - Seasons 49:53 - Yokohama 50:56 - SpaceCorp 52:50 - The Voyages of Marco Polo 54:19 - Root 55:34 - Container 56:36 - Lords of Hellas]]>01:00:19cleangames,empire,robots,game,final,play,board,tour,more,kitchen,days,two,things,eye,hellas,dune,voyages,root,boom,container,seasons,cosmic,polo,lords,rush,rex,empires,automobiles,primus,encounter,marco,rooms,tribune,inter,yokohama,pares,favourite,xcomfull#61: Beware of the CyberThu, 28 Mar 2019 09:00:00 +0000Electronic board games! What will they think of next?! There's been a trend of more and more board games being translated into web and mobile apps, so join us as we make the jump to cyberspace. Before we plug in, we also talk about Heul doch! Mau Mau, Architects of the West Kingdom, and revisit Nusfjord.

01:19 - Heul doch! Mau Mau 05:19 - Architects of the West Kingdom 10:55 - A Feast for Odin 13:44 - Nusfjord 26:26 - Digital Board Games 27:20 - Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization 28:05 - Onirim 29:28 - Concordia 30:56 - Dixit 32:49 - Innovation 33:29 - Ortus Regni 36:41 - The Resistance]]>Electronic board games! What will they think of next?! There's been a trend of more and more board games being translated into web and mobile apps, so join us as we make the jump to cyberspace. Before we plug in, we also talk about Heul doch! Mau Mau, Architects of the West Kingdom, and revisit Nusfjord. 01:19 - Heul doch! Mau Mau 05:19 - Architects of the West Kingdom 10:55 - A Feast for Odin 13:44 - Nusfjord 26:26 - Digital Board Games 27:20 - Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization 28:05 - Onirim 29:28 - Concordia 30:56 - Dixit 32:49 - Innovation 33:29 - Ortus Regni 36:41 - The Resistance]]>51:11cleannew,games,iphone,digital,mobile,story,pc,game,ages,innovation,board,kingdom,west,civilization,resistance,feast,through,ipad,mau,architects,odin,dixit,concordia,heul,doch,onirim,nusfjord,ortus,regnifull#60: Tabling the DiscussionThu, 21 Mar 2019 10:08:06 +0000We're at the table talking table talk, all the little things that get said while you're playing a board game. Sure, there's plenty to be said in a social deduction or negotiation game, but what about less talky games? What's appropriate and what isn't? Before we say something we regret, we also talk about Everdell, Concordia Venus, and Project: ELITE.

03:58 - Everdell 08:34 - Wingspan 12:07 - Concordia Venus 21:27 - Project: ELITE 25:56 - Escape: The Curse of the Temple 31:13 - Table Talk 37:01 - Codenames]]>We're at the table talking table talk, all the little things that get said while you're playing a board game. Sure, there's plenty to be said in a social deduction or negotiation game, but what about less talky games? What's appropriate and what isn't? Before we say something we regret, we also talk about Everdell, Concordia Venus, and Project: ELITE. 03:58 - Everdell 08:34 - Wingspan 12:07 - Concordia Venus 21:27 - Project: ELITE 25:56 - Escape: The Curse of the Temple 31:13 - Table Talk 37:01 - Codenames]]>50:14cleanelite,games,game,board,talk,project,table,escape,temple,curse,venus,concordia,wingspan,codenames,everdellfull#59: Ain't Nothing Like ItThu, 14 Mar 2019 09:15:31 +0000Some games offer an experience so unique, so unlike anything else, that you can't help but take notice. It might be a bold thematic setting, or a set of mechanics that you've never seen before. This week, we're counting down our favourite games that do something ... a little bit different. Before we stand out from the crowd, we also talk about Looting London, and Chimera.

]]>Some games offer an experience so unique, so unlike anything else, that you can't help but take notice. It might be a bold thematic setting, or a set of mechanics that you've never seen before. This week, we're counting down our favourite games that do something ... a little bit different. Before we stand out from the crowd, we also talk about Looting London, and Chimera.

]]>57:10cleanwinter,sonar,rock,food,dragons,games,space,hulk,star,dungeons,game,board,long,wizard,london,paper,days,captain,dead,last,ponzi,scheme,duel,pit,dice,blades,unique,shot,millennium,adrenaline,chain,sol,experiences,looting,diplomacy,chimera,cadets,magnatefull#58: Game Board ConfessionalThu, 07 Mar 2019 13:02:44 +0000Time to 'fess up. We're admitting to all the transgressions we've made in the world of board gaming. We're not proud of it, but there are a lot of games we haven't played that we should have. There are Kickstarters we've overspent on, and some we regret backing. And what would a good confessional be without owning up to our guilty pleasures? Before we ask forgiveness, we also talk about Excape, Race for the Galaxy, and Biblios Dice.

]]>Time to 'fess up. We're admitting to all the transgressions we've made in the world of board gaming. We're not proud of it, but there are a lot of games we haven't played that we should have. There are Kickstarters we've overspent on, and some we regret backing. And what would a good confessional be without owning up to our guilty pleasures? Before we ask forgiveness, we also talk about Excape, Race for the Galaxy, and Biblios Dice.

]]>45:16cleaneclipse,colors,hill,house,epic,war,games,true,quest,gods,galaxy,game,mars,sun,ages,horses,board,race,season,continent,legacy,team,rising,kill,7th,pandemic,dice,through,warhammer,tiny,confessions,betrayal,40k,statecraft,terraforming,40000,hundredsfull#57: Where There's a Will, There's a GatewayThu, 28 Feb 2019 10:00:00 +0000Gateway games are an often requested topic, but we wouldn't be us without a big old debate about them first. Are they important? Should you be trying to convert your friends at all? Isn't every game a gateway game if you just talk slowly enough? Before we raise the portcullis, we also talk about Targi, and Catan.

01:25 - Targi 07:19 - Catan 09:35 - Gateway games 17:11 - Forbidden Island 18:38 - Codenames 19:01 - Sushi Go! 22:23 - A Fake Artist Goes to New York 24:56 - Bärenpark 27:47 - Biblios 32:16 - Splendor 35:31 - The Quest for El Dorado 38:12 - Blue Lagoon 41:05 - Dominion 43:57 - Wingspan 47:32 - Converting non-gamers?]]>Gateway games are an often requested topic, but we wouldn't be us without a big old debate about them first. Are they important? Should you be trying to convert your friends at all? Isn't every game a gateway game if you just talk slowly enough? Before we raise the portcullis, we also talk about Targi, and Catan. 01:25 - Targi 07:19 - Catan 09:35 - Gateway games 17:11 - Forbidden Island 18:38 - Codenames 19:01 - Sushi Go! 22:23 - A Fake Artist Goes to New York 24:56 - Bärenpark 27:47 - Biblios 32:16 - Splendor 35:31 - The Quest for El Dorado 38:12 - Blue Lagoon 41:05 - Dominion 43:57 - Wingspan 47:32 - Converting non-gamers?]]>55:46cleannew,york,games,quest,game,board,artist,go,forbidden,blue,gateway,island,sushi,el,fake,goes,splendor,dominion,dorado,lagoon,catan,wingspan,codenames,targi,biblios,brenparkfull#56: Shelf of Shape Up or Ship OutThu, 21 Feb 2019 11:43:23 +0000It's always sad to see a game go. But sometimes it's just time to move on, to let it be free, to let someone else enjoy its esoteric rules and quirky components. Games leave our collections for many reasons, so let's take a look at some of them. Before we spark joy, we talk about Big Dig, Trains, and The River.

]]>It's always sad to see a game go. But sometimes it's just time to move on, to let it be free, to let someone else enjoy its esoteric rules and quirky components. Games leave our collections for many reasons, so let's take a look at some of them. Before we spark joy, we talk about Big Dig, Trains, and The River.

]]>52:26cleanbig,river,games,quest,game,trains,ages,board,marie,collections,knight,el,capital,through,founders,dig,lux,kondo,dorado,mage,strategicon,gloomhavenfull#55: AnswerversaryThu, 14 Feb 2019 10:00:00 +0000One year, baby! We did it. It's our first anniversary, and we're celebrating by ... putting out an episode of the podcast. We got a couple of reader questions that we thought would be especially pertinent for this occasion, as we look back on the impact Board Game Barrage has had on us. Before we pop the champagne, we talk about The Quacks of Quedlinburg, Forum Trajanum, and Narabi.

]]>One year, baby! We did it. It's our first anniversary, and we're celebrating by ... putting out an episode of the podcast. We got a couple of reader questions that we thought would be especially pertinent for this occasion, as we look back on the impact Board Game Barrage has had on us. Before we pop the champagne, we talk about The Quacks of Quedlinburg, Forum Trajanum, and Narabi.

]]>42:06cleancolors,games,game,review,board,guest,player,impact,forum,copies,quacks,impartiality,hyperspace,werewords,trajanum,quedlinburg,narabifull#54: 2019: An Up and Coming YearThu, 07 Feb 2019 10:03:44 +00002019 is well underway, but with so many amazing games on the horizon, it's hard to know what to look out for. Fear not, listener, that's what we're here for. Join us as we count down our most anticipated games of the year. Before we cast our eyes ahead, we talk about New Frontiers: The Race for the Galaxy Board Game, and Hansa Teutonica.

]]>2019 is well underway, but with so many amazing games on the horizon, it's hard to know what to look out for. Fear not, listener, that's what we're here for. Join us as we count down our most anticipated games of the year. Before we cast our eyes ahead, we talk about New Frontiers: The Race for the Galaxy Board Game, and Hansa Teutonica.

]]>54:27cleaneclipse,big,new,black,war,games,on,second,gods,galaxy,living,game,mars,board,most,tokyo,city,plan,market,angel,race,planet,dawn,escape,pipeline,shoulders,darkness,elo,sabotage,res,frontiers,arcana,anticipated,barrage,tsukiji,hansa,glorantha,mezo,warpgatefull#53: Objection!Thu, 31 Jan 2019 12:29:43 +0000Objectivity is a nice goal, but what does it mean for board game criticism? Are there elements of board game design that we can have factual conversations about, without invoking our personal biases? We debate this in the only way we know how. Before we start shouting, we talk about Hyperspace, Gùgōng, and Wingspan.

02:30 - Hyperspace 08:52 - Gùgōng 14:43 - ZhanGuo 17:35 - Last Will 18:06 - Wingspan 21:37 - Innovation 26:26 - Critical Objectivity 26:58 - Nemesis 28:01 - Zombicide 32:01 - Heroes of Land, Air & Sea 43:04 - Monopoly 43:55 - Formula D 44:42 - Magical Athlete 46:18 - Diplomacy]]>Objectivity is a nice goal, but what does it mean for board game criticism? Are there elements of board game design that we can have factual conversations about, without invoking our personal biases? We debate this in the only way we know how. Before we start shouting, we talk about Hyperspace, Gùgōng, and Wingspan. 02:30 - Hyperspace 08:52 - Gùgōng 14:43 - ZhanGuo 17:35 - Last Will 18:06 - Wingspan 21:37 - Innovation 26:26 - Critical Objectivity 26:58 - Nemesis 28:01 - Zombicide 32:01 - Heroes of Land, Air & Sea 43:04 - Monopoly 43:55 - Formula D 44:42 - Magical Athlete 46:18 - Diplomacy]]>53:52cleanathlete,air,games,magical,heroes,game,sea,innovation,board,land,formula,d,last,will,nemesis,monopoly,objectivity,diplomacy,wingspan,zombicide,hyperspace,gugong,zhanguofull#52: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find ThemeThu, 24 Jan 2019 12:38:58 +0000Sometimes you're not looking to win or lose, you're looking for an experience. A lot of games promise to deliver thematic gameplay, but what does that mean for the mechanics? Does it have to be one without the other? Before we set the mood, we talk about Nusfjord, Paper Tales, and Nemesis.

]]>Sometimes you're not looking to win or lose, you're looking for an experience. A lot of games promise to deliver thematic gameplay, but what does that mean for the mechanics? Does it have to be one without the other? Before we set the mood, we talk about Nusfjord, Paper Tales, and Nemesis.

]]>42:42cleansonar,games,nothing,second,battlestar,galactica,game,tales,board,paper,madness,captain,personal,resistance,dune,nemesis,android,edition,mansions,netrunner,grizzled,thematic,gloomhaven,nusfjordfull#51: The Best of TimesThu, 17 Jan 2019 10:00:00 +0000We throw back to our very first episode, with our biggest surprises and disappointments of the year gone by. 2018 was a year of highs and lows, but sometimes you just don't see them coming. The difference between expectation and the final product is what this week's episode is all about. Before we gaze back wistfully, we talk about Akrotiri, Blue Moon City,and This Guilty Land.

]]>We throw back to our very first episode, with our biggest surprises and disappointments of the year gone by. 2018 was a year of highs and lows, but sometimes you just don't see them coming. The difference between expectation and the final product is what this week's episode is all about. Before we gaze back wistfully, we talk about Akrotiri, Blue Moon City,and This Guilty Land.

]]>42:49cleangames,space,game,sun,innovation,board,city,land,moon,continent,blue,rising,hellas,guilty,surprise,7th,lords,base,disappointment,merlin,2018,akrotiri,decryptofull#50: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2018: 10-1Thu, 10 Jan 2019 10:11:58 +0000Top ten, baby! We finally made it. And thus concludes our five part series of our favourite games of all-time. Frankly, we were changed by the experience, and will never be the same again. We hope you were too.

]]>Top ten, baby! We finally made it. And thus concludes our five part series of our favourite games of all-time. Frankly, we were changed by the experience, and will never be the same again. We hope you were too.

]]>01:30:39cleannew,colors,games,true,calendar,up,story,gaming,wars,game,cuba,ages,innovation,board,civilization,times,mayan,atlantis,resistance,el,feast,cosmic,grande,through,birmingham,libre,drake,francis,guards,dominion,brass,encounter,robber,railways,troyes,cthulhufull#49: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2018: 20-11Thu, 03 Jan 2019 10:00:00 +0000The end is nigh! If you squint just right you can see it from here. We're almost done counting down our favourite fifty games of all time, so join us in the penultimate part of our five part series.

]]>The end is nigh! If you squint just right you can see it from here. We're almost done counting down our favourite fifty games of all time, so join us in the penultimate part of our five part series.

]]>01:05:49cleanthe,war,no,murder,midwest,wars,game,sun,holmes,dogs,end,race,trading,rising,kong,voyages,watson,species,im,boss,negotiation,polo,fuji,exit,eternal,reign,hong,deception,thanks,marco,omen,flush,imperial,troyes,cthulhu,archipelago,euphrates,tigris,elysianfull#48: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2018: 30-21Thu, 27 Dec 2018 10:00:00 +0000Okay, we're past the middle. It's all downhill from here, but the good sort of downhill. We're counting down our fifty favourite board games, in part three of what the world is calling our most ambitious endeavour yet! Well, we're calling it that.

]]>Okay, we're past the middle. It's all downhill from here, but the good sort of downhill. We're counting down our fifty favourite board games, in part three of what the world is calling our most ambitious endeavour yet! Well, we're calling it that.

]]>01:04:44cleannew,york,poker,games,murder,second,age,renaissance,game,board,artist,zimbabwe,grand,madness,hotel,trading,insider,spirit,emerald,blue,great,island,study,rome,pax,kong,cockroach,negotiation,fake,glory,austria,castles,android,goes,splendor,burgundy,hongfull#47: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2018: 40-31Thu, 20 Dec 2018 10:00:00 +0000Ten down, forty to go ... It's part two of our all-time top fifty lists! What surprises await us in this, the second installment of our historic feature?! Find out with us as we celebrate some fantastic board games!

]]>Ten down, forty to go ... It's part two of our all-time top fifty lists! What surprises await us in this, the second installment of our historic feature?! Find out with us as we celebrate some fantastic board games!

]]>01:02:45cleanart,winter,vegas,games,for,star,game,modern,dragon,board,year,project,days,dead,legacy,question,last,atlantis,feast,gaia,pandemic,sale,le,duet,terra,pinata,guards,lords,sol,bruges,taj,odin,mahal,agricola,sixes,kemet,scruples,havre,shh,orlans,mysticafull#46: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2018: 50-41Thu, 13 Dec 2018 12:12:05 +0000We're counting down to our 50th episode, and what better way than to give our definitive lists of our 50 favourite games of all time?! You've been asking for it, so we've only gone and done it. Brace yourselves, we're just getting started.

]]>We're counting down to our 50th episode, and what better way than to give our definitive lists of our 50 favourite games of all time?! You've been asking for it, so we've only gone and done it. Brace yourselves, we're just getting started.

]]>01:01:24cleanfighter,games,blood,samurai,crime,game,evolution,puerto,innovation,board,angeles,street,gold,chronicles,rage,knight,wall,oracle,dungeon,ra,panic,concept,incan,wyatt,splendor,delphi,mage,ingenious,diamant,agricola,earp,kanban,clank,lifeboat,tzolkinfull#45: Green Letter Episode?Thu, 06 Dec 2018 10:51:25 +0000It's question time again! After last week's massive success, we couldn't resist the urge to have you, loyal listener, once more do all the work for us. Before we turn the microphones around, we also talk about Brass: Birmingham, Exodus: Paris Nouveau, and Werewords.

]]>It's question time again! After last week's massive success, we couldn't resist the urge to have you, loyal listener, once more do all the work for us. Before we turn the microphones around, we also talk about Brass: Birmingham, Exodus: Paris Nouveau, and Werewords.

]]>45:54cleanparis,games,night,gods,coffee,game,one,board,reviews,nouveau,city,listener,questions,youtube,trivia,dungeon,conventions,feast,solo,birmingham,classics,deck,exodus,cry,brass,boardgames,odin,carcassonne,catan,havoc,scythe,roaster,teotihuacan,werewordsfull#44: Red Letter EpisodeThu, 29 Nov 2018 10:03:46 +0000It's your time to shine! We field questions from you, our adoring fans, in our first ever Q&A episode. You sent us the important topical issues you've been yearning for our take on, and takes ye shall receive. Before we line up in front of the mic, we also talk about Blokus, Brass: Lancashire, and Teotihucan: City of Gods.

]]>It's your time to shine! We field questions from you, our adoring fans, in our first ever Q&A episode. You sent us the important topical issues you've been yearning for our take on, and takes ye shall receive. Before we line up in front of the mic, we also talk about Blokus, Brass: Lancashire, and Teotihucan: City of Gods.

]]>46:13cleanchampionship,gods,wars,world,sun,chess,city,listener,questions,spirit,rising,island,pandemic,castles,splendor,burgundy,brass,azul,taj,lancashire,cthulhu,mahal,archipelago,blokus,teotihuacanfull#43: My Triumphs, My MistakesThu, 22 Nov 2018 12:06:57 +0000We're getting introspective this week, weighing up the mistakes we've made in our collections, and reflecting on our earlier selves. Would you reset your board game collection? What games might you not buy if you had to do it all over again? Before we turn back time, we also talk about Between Two Castles Of Mad King Ludwig, Claustrophobia, and KeyForge: Call of the Archons.

]]>We're getting introspective this week, weighing up the mistakes we've made in our collections, and reflecting on our earlier selves. Would you reset your board game collection? What games might you not buy if you had to do it all over again? Before we turn back time, we also talk about Between Two Castles Of Mad King Ludwig, Claustrophobia, and KeyForge: Call of the Archons.

]]>56:21cleannew,call,story,blood,king,wars,sun,ages,innovation,stars,collection,two,civilization,rage,mad,forbidden,rising,dracula,between,cosmic,ludwig,through,skull,castles,fury,encounter,claustrophobia,cthulhu,archons,patchwork,resetting,keyforgefull#42: We've Been Co-optedThu, 15 Nov 2018 10:11:50 +0000Not everything has to be a competition, because this week we're talking about cooperation. I know, it's weird, in some games, you're not actually trying to beat the other players! We're counting down our favourite co-op games, "favourite" of course being a relative term in Kalen's case. Before we put our heads together, we also talk about SSH, Just One, and Hamsterrolle.

]]>Not everything has to be a competition, because this week we're talking about cooperation. I know, it's weird, in some games, you're not actually trying to beat the other players! We're counting down our favourite co-op games, "favourite" of course being a relative term in Kalen's case. Before we put our heads together, we also talk about SSH, Just One, and Hamsterrolle.

]]>55:40cleanfighter,war,just,second,crime,game,one,chess,kitchen,madness,end,season,chronicles,cooperative,legacy,spirit,island,bros,dungeon,pandemic,duet,coop,rush,exit,eternal,edition,mansions,hanabi,grizzled,shh,mysterium,burgle,codenames,gloomhaven,hamsterrollefull#41: The First Cut Is the DeepestThu, 08 Nov 2018 10:46:20 +0000There's no love like your first love, and this week we're talking about our early board game crushes. These are the games that first got us into the hobby, that made us want to shout our love for board games to all who'd care to hear. Before we walk down memory lane, we also talk about Key to the City: London, Empires, and Guards of Atlantis.

]]>There's no love like your first love, and this week we're talking about our early board game crushes. These are the games that first got us into the hobby, that made us want to shout our love for board games to all who'd care to hear. Before we walk down memory lane, we also talk about Key to the City: London, Empires, and Guards of Atlantis.

]]>59:48cleancolors,ultimate,space,hulk,true,night,warcraft,one,ages,werewolf,london,city,four,risk,atlantis,resistance,harvey,cosmic,key,through,hang,guards,scrabble,connect,dominion,empires,encounter,crushes,alhambra,acquire,genoa,bibliosfull#40: Bling It OnThu, 01 Nov 2018 09:00:00 +0000We're doing some upgrades this episode, because we're talking about improving and enhancing the board games we already own through accessories, new components, and fancy inserts. Before we sleeve our cards, we also talk about Keyflower, The Palaces of Carrara, Welcome To...'s Halloween Expansion, and That's Not Lemonade!

]]>We're doing some upgrades this episode, because we're talking about improving and enhancing the board games we already own through accessories, new components, and fancy inserts. Before we sleeve our cards, we also talk about Keyflower, The Palaces of Carrara, Welcome To...'s Halloween Expansion, and That's Not Lemonade!

]]>55:33cleanto,halloween,not,welcome,species,thats,expansion,lemonade,dominant,component,upgrades,archipelago,palaces,carrara,scythe,keyflower,gloomhavenfull#39: Essen SPIEL 2018 PreviewThu, 25 Oct 2018 08:31:48 +0000Essen SPIEL 2018! Okay, we're not technically at Essen SPIEL, but we've got that Essen FEEL. We're each counting down the five games that we most wish we were in Germany to play this weekend. Before we hand over our Euros, we talk about SPQF, Le Havre, and Scythe: The Rise of Fenris.

]]>Essen SPIEL 2018! Okay, we're not technically at Essen SPIEL, but we've got that Essen FEEL. We're each counting down the five games that we most wish we were in Germany to play this weekend. Before we hand over our Euros, we talk about SPQF, Le Havre, and Scythe: The Rise of Fenris.

]]>49:13cleanbig,san,francisco,amsterdam,smartphone,pax,alone,inc,shadows,essen,shot,le,forum,spiel,rebel,rise,1906,nox,havre,scythe,fenris,tsukiji,teotihuacan,spqf,magnastorm,futuropia,gugong,solenia,transhumanity,warpgate,trajanumfull#38: Six Things I Hate About YouThu, 18 Oct 2018 10:02:02 +0000Board game dealbreakers, we all have them, and they're enough to dissuade us from buying or even playing some otherwise great games. This week, we go around the table and talk about two things each that put us off in board games. Before we start looking elsewhere, we talk about Illusion, and Food Chain Magnate.

]]>Board game dealbreakers, we all have them, and they're enough to dissuade us from buying or even playing some otherwise great games. This week, we go around the table and talk about two things each that put us off in board games. Before we start looking elsewhere, we talk about Illusion, and Food Chain Magnate.

]]>59:39cleanlove,food,blood,power,battlestar,galactica,tales,sun,zimbabwe,baseball,highlights,bowl,grid,blue,rising,great,suburbia,vinci,leonardo,village,arabian,rouge,nights,fog,illusion,chain,1st,goal,automobiles,lagoon,agricola,magnate,sidereal,zombicide,2045full#37: Origin StoryThu, 11 Oct 2018 10:00:56 +0000How do you meet other board game enthusiasts? Just loving and owning board games isn't enough if you don't have anyone to play them with! It's not always easy to turn your friends into board gamers, so what are your other options? Well, sit back, as we cast our minds far, far back into the past, when the Board Game Barrage trio was just three separate unos. This is where it all began. Before we gather round the campfire, we talk about Crypt, Fool's Gold, and War Chest.

]]>How do you meet other board game enthusiasts? Just loving and owning board games isn't enough if you don't have anyone to play them with! It's not always easy to turn your friends into board gamers, so what are your other options? Well, sit back, as we cast our minds far, far back into the past, when the Board Game Barrage trio was just three separate unos. This is where it all began. Before we gather round the campfire, we talk about Crypt, Fool's Gold, and War Chest.

]]>51:58cleanwar,story,gold,twilight,crypt,fools,origin,chest,skull,meetup,imperium,colorettofull#36: Your Unfulfilled PotentialThu, 04 Oct 2018 09:00:00 +0000What’s your white whale? The one game you’ve been itching to get to the table for ages, but for whatever reason, just never have? Well, call me Ishmael, ’cause we’re counting down not just one, not five, but ten games each that we haven’t played, but really want to. Maybe this’ll be the kick in the pants we need … but probably not. Before we dust off our shelves of shame, we talk about CIV: Carta Impera Victoria, Raxxon, and Scythe: The Rise of Fenris.

]]>What’s your white whale? The one game you’ve been itching to get to the table for ages, but for whatever reason, just never have? Well, call me Ishmael, ’cause we’re counting down not just one, not five, but ten games each that we haven’t played, but really want to. Maybe this’ll be the kick in the pants we need … but probably not. Before we dust off our shelves of shame, we talk about CIV: Carta Impera Victoria, Raxxon, and Scythe: The Rise of Fenris.

]]>47:43cleanold,love,john,trail,three,elite,war,horror,blood,wars,traffic,world,game,western,china,dogs,project,mini,ring,hall,season,civilization,legacy,spirit,great,kingdoms,roads,island,forex,dracula,pax,dune,dungeon,voyages,victoria,chaos,company,pandemic,reduxfull#35: The Power of BalanceThu, 27 Sep 2018 09:00:00 +0000Asymmetry is a powerful tool for game design, if done right. There's a lot of replayability right out of the box, and finding a playstyle that works for you can be very satisfying. But this dark alchemy has a darker byproduct: imbalance. When so much is different between each player, how do you ensure that things stay fair? Before we nerf plz, we discuss Container, and more Root.

]]>Asymmetry is a powerful tool for game design, if done right. There's a lot of replayability right out of the box, and finding a playstyle that works for you can be very satisfying. But this dark alchemy has a darker byproduct: imbalance. When so much is different between each player, how do you ensure that things stay fair? Before we nerf plz, we discuss Container, and more Root.

]]>56:30cleanthe,of,sun,rising,voyages,root,container,cosmic,balance,polo,terra,cry,encounter,marco,scoreboard,diplomacy,vast,asymmetry,havoc,sidereal,scythe,mystica,confluence,cthulhuwarsfull#34: You Know the Rules and So Do IThu, 20 Sep 2018 10:11:55 +0000Board game rules, unlike other rules, were not made to be broken. They're to be strictly adhered to, trust me, this is going to be totally fun, there's just a few more things to go over and then we can start. Sometimes remembering and teaching rules can feel like a burden, so where's the line? Before we explain the turn structure, we discuss Dairyman, Riff Raff, and Lords of Hellas.

]]>Board game rules, unlike other rules, were not made to be broken. They're to be strictly adhered to, trust me, this is going to be totally fun, there's just a few more things to go over and then we can start. Sometimes remembering and teaching rules can feel like a burden, so where's the line? Before we explain the turn structure, we discuss Dairyman, Riff Raff, and Lords of Hellas.

]]>52:53cleanof,knight,team,blue,hellas,kill,root,raff,rules,warhammer,lords,mage,lagoon,riff,40000,gloomhaven,dairyman,decryptofull#33: You Can't Win 'Em AllThu, 13 Sep 2018 09:37:18 +0000Look, sometimes we lose games. I know. It's weird. It's hard to talk about, to be frank, but it's important to realize that your heroes can have flaws. So, this week, we're counting down our top five games we're bad at! Before we admit defeat, we also discuss Yogi, Orléans, and Blue Lagoon.

]]>Look, sometimes we lose games. I know. It's weird. It's hard to talk about, to be frank, but it's important to realize that your heroes can have flaws. So, this week, we're counting down our top five games we're bad at! Before we admit defeat, we also discuss Yogi, Orléans, and Blue Lagoon.

]]>56:31cleanand,the,of,sonar,adventure,orleans,deep,sea,captain,gold,blue,oracle,im,boss,incan,android,avenue,splendor,delphi,santorini,yogi,lagoon,archipelago,kanban,euphrates,tigris,netrunner,spyfall,pictomania,gluxfull#32: Are We Having Fun Yet?Thu, 06 Sep 2018 10:43:16 +0000In this week's fun episode, we talk gaming etiquette, or the unspoken rules that surface when you're playing a board game. They often have nothing to do with the game itself, but what's appropriate? Should you deliberately help and hinder others at the table? Before we let the Wookiee win, we also discuss Let's Make a Bus Route, Sailing Toward Osiris, Fleet, and Founders of Gloomhaven.

]]>In this week's fun episode, we talk gaming etiquette, or the unspoken rules that surface when you're playing a board game. They often have nothing to do with the game itself, but what's appropriate? Should you deliberately help and hinder others at the table? Before we let the Wookiee win, we also discuss Let's Make a Bus Route, Sailing Toward Osiris, Fleet, and Founders of Gloomhaven.

]]>59:30cleanof,make,a,sailing,lets,etiquette,bus,fleet,founders,route,toward,osiris,gloomhavenfull#31: Logged and LoadedThu, 30 Aug 2018 09:10:22 +0000Just when you thought we couldn't get nerdier, this episode is all about logging plays and collecting statistics on your games. It turns out it's actually a pretty fun way to look back on your gaming history. We also discuss Fast Forward: FORTRESS, The Captain Is Dead, and Schummel Hummel.

]]>Just when you thought we couldn't get nerdier, this episode is all about logging plays and collecting statistics on your games. It turns out it's actually a pretty fun way to look back on your gaming history. We also discuss Fast Forward: FORTRESS, The Captain Is Dead, and Schummel Hummel.

]]>50:51cleanlogging,cheating,game,board,moth,fast,plays,forward,fortress,stats,bumblebee,hummel,schummelfull#30: Party Party PartyThu, 23 Aug 2018 09:00:00 +0000We're staying up all night to count down our favourite party games! You know the feeling. Everyone's at your place, no one's talking, it's a little bit awkward ... but then you break out some of these fifteen amazing party games, and suddenly everyone's back in, talking, laughing and shouting until the early hours. We also talk about JamSumo, Isle of Trains, and Root.

]]>We're staying up all night to count down our favourite party games! You know the feeling. Everyone's at your place, no one's talking, it's a little bit awkward ... but then you break out some of these fifteen amazing party games, and suddenly everyone's back in, talking, laughing and shouting until the early hours. We also talk about JamSumo, Isle of Trains, and Root.

]]>59:41cleanthe,of,colors,ultimate,poker,games,party,true,up,night,a,trains,one,werewolf,times,question,resistance,pit,root,cockroach,title,fuji,recall,deception,flush,isle,krazy,scruples,balderdash,telestrations,anomia,pictomania,codenames,jamsumo,wordzfull#29: Cult of the You Do YouThu, 16 Aug 2018 09:00:00 +0000Shiny and new! Everyone online is talking about the latest, greatest thing, and you can't help but feel that you're missing out. How important is it to keep up with the cult of the new? We also talk about Cthulhu Wars, World Championship Russian Roulette, Kubb, and Word Slam.

]]>Shiny and new! Everyone online is talking about the latest, greatest thing, and you can't help but feel that you're missing out. How important is it to keep up with the cult of the new? We also talk about Cthulhu Wars, World Championship Russian Roulette, Kubb, and Word Slam.

]]>56:43cleanthe,of,new,championship,war,space,word,gods,wars,alien,secret,slam,world,chess,russian,hitler,el,grande,cult,base,artifacts,roulette,cthulhu,patchwork,kubb,codenames,gloranthafull#28: Dance Like Nobody’s WatchingThu, 09 Aug 2018 07:51:11 +0000In the wake of Gen Con, we return home invigorated about just how grand and diverse the hobby is. We celebrate the games that we might not otherwise have thought to play, and encourage you to do the same! We also talk about Lift it!, The Estates, and Cat Lady.

]]>In the wake of Gen Con, we return home invigorated about just how grand and diverse the hobby is. We celebrate the games that we might not otherwise have thought to play, and encourage you to do the same! We also talk about Lift it!, The Estates, and Cat Lady.

]]>40:55cleanthe,it,go,cat,con,lady,sushi,lift,estates,gen,zombicidefull#27: Gen Con 2018 Day ThreeSun, 05 Aug 2018 05:52:50 +0000Day three of Gen Con is over, and that's a wrap for our coverage from Indianapolis! Enjoy our final thoughts from the show floor (at least for this week), while we trudge back to the west coast with as many games as we can carry. We talk about Istanbul: The Dice Game, Wendake, One Week Ultimate Werewolf, Show & Tile, Coimbra, and Trade on the Tigris.]]>Day three of Gen Con is over, and that's a wrap for our coverage from Indianapolis! Enjoy our final thoughts from the show floor (at least for this week), while we trudge back to the west coast with as many games as we can carry. We talk about Istanbul: The Dice Game, Wendake, One Week Ultimate Werewolf, Show & Tile, Coimbra, and Trade on the Tigris.]]>25:08cleanthe,show,ultimate,on,week,game,trade,one,werewolf,con,dice,istanbul,gen,tile,coimbra,tigris,wendakefull#26: Gen Con 2018 Day TwoSat, 04 Aug 2018 05:37:32 +0000We're halfway through Gen Con, and we wrap up day two of the show with our thoughts from the floors and tables and beds (?!) of Indianapolis. We talk about Crusader Kings, Scarabya, Petrichor, Zogan, Flotsam Fight, Welcome To..., and Dice Fishing: Roll and Catch!]]>We're halfway through Gen Con, and we wrap up day two of the show with our thoughts from the floors and tables and beds (?!) of Indianapolis. We talk about Crusader Kings, Scarabya, Petrichor, Zogan, Flotsam Fight, Welcome To..., and Dice Fishing: Roll and Catch!]]>20:33cleanfishing,fight,to,con,kings,welcome,dice,gen,crusader,flotsam,petrichor,scarabya,zoganfull#25: Gen Con 2018 Day OneFri, 03 Aug 2018 05:42:36 +0000Gen Con! It's here at last, and we run through our quick impressions of the first day of the show. We talk about Exodus: Paris Nouveau, Reef, Nyctophobia, and Illusion.]]>Gen Con! It's here at last, and we run through our quick impressions of the first day of the show. We talk about Exodus: Paris Nouveau, Reef, Nyctophobia, and Illusion.]]>17:58cleanparis,nouveau,con,reef,illusion,exodus,gen,nyctophobiafull#24: Gen Con 2018 PreviewThu, 26 Jul 2018 10:01:41 +0000Gen Con 2018 is almost upon us, and we're counting down the games we're most excited to check out! We also talk about Vikings, and Navegador.

]]>56:35cleanfishing,ultimate,preview,to,detective,lost,werewolf,con,legacy,team,gizmos,kill,welcome,dice,yellow,des,newton,spiel,cities,gen,vikings,coimbra,jahres,yangtze,hyperspace,teotihuacan,navegador,piepmatz,rials,pikoko,wendake,nyctophobiafull#23: Are You Feeling Lucky?Thu, 19 Jul 2018 09:00:00 +0000Luck is an element of almost every board game there is, but it's still a major point of contention. Whether it's the roll of dice, or the draw of a card, randomness can make or break a game. We also talk about Lowlands, Bilder, In the Year of the Dragon, and revisit Space Base.

]]>Luck is an element of almost every board game there is, but it's still a major point of contention. Whether it's the roll of dice, or the draw of a card, randomness can make or break a game. We also talk about Lowlands, Bilder, In the Year of the Dragon, and revisit Space Base.

]]>50:02cleanof,vegas,space,wars,sun,dragon,rising,atlantis,guards,lords,bilder,base,luck,cthulhu,diamant,lowlandsfull#22: Baby's First Social InteractionThu, 12 Jul 2018 10:30:29 +0000Multiplayer Solitaire doesn't have to be a bad thing! Sometimes we're just not always looking for high interaction, high conflict games, and that's okay. We break down some games with low interaction, and what makes them great. We also talk about Joraku, Impulse, and Wyatt Earp.

]]>Multiplayer Solitaire doesn't have to be a bad thing! Sometimes we're just not always looking for high interaction, high conflict games, and that's okay. We break down some games with low interaction, and what makes them great. We also talk about Joraku, Impulse, and Wyatt Earp.

]]>56:24cleangodfather,wyatt,azul,impulse,twitch,agricola,earp,karuba,jorakufull#21: The Beautiful GameThu, 05 Jul 2018 08:59:21 +0000World Cup fever sweeps the podcast, as we consider the analogies between board gaming and sport. We also talk about Harvest, Caylus, Exit: The Game, and Trajan.

]]>50:41cleansports,harvest,exit,diplomacy,trajan,balderdash,caylusfull#20: Harder, Better, Faster, StrongerThu, 28 Jun 2018 10:10:05 +0000We're counting down games that replace other games in our collections! We also talk about Chimera Station.

]]>57:19cleangames,board,station,replacement,chimerafull#19: What Are You Made Of?Thu, 21 Jun 2018 09:00:00 +0000What would a board game be without components? Just rules and a box, I guess. Before we pick up our pieces, we talk about Wildcatters, Bärenpark, Chimera, Star Cartel, and Council of 4.

]]>47:14cleangames,council,star,board,components,cartel,wildcatters,barenparkfull#18: You Get What You GiveThu, 14 Jun 2018 08:57:11 +0000Skill and experience should be important parts of determining the winner of a game, but what about new players? Accessibility is important too, so, where's the balance? We also talk about High Society, Rising 5: Runes of Asteros, The Tea Dragon Society Card Game, and Inkognito.

]]>Skill and experience should be important parts of determining the winner of a game, but what about new players? Accessibility is important too, so, where's the balance? We also talk about High Society, Rising 5: Runes of Asteros, The Tea Dragon Society Card Game, and Inkognito.

]]>55:35cleanfull#17: The Best Things in Life Are $20 or LessThu, 07 Jun 2018 10:10:21 +0000What games can you get for $20? Quite a few really good ones, it turns out. We also discuss Scythe, Watson & Holmes, and Mansions of Madness: Second Edition.

]]>59:46cleangames,holmes,madness,watson,cheap,mansions,scythefull#16: How to Win Friends & Area Control PeopleThu, 31 May 2018 08:57:50 +0000We wrap up the mechanics trilogy with Kalen's pick, area control. We also talk about Herbaceous Sprouts, Fae, Explorers of the North Sea, Wiz-War, and Imperial 2030.

]]>52:02cleanwar,fae,control,area,explorers,imperial,wiz,2030,herbaceousfull#15: Keep Your Hands to YourselfThu, 24 May 2018 09:00:00 +0000Week two of our favourite mechanics in board games is Mark's pick, hand management. We also talk about Ascending Empires, Funky Chicken, Felicity: The Cat in the Sack, and New Corp Order.

]]>46:52cleanhand,games,management,corp,board,funky,chicken,empires,felicity,ascendingfull#14: Do You Want to Know a Secret?Thu, 17 May 2018 08:56:56 +0000We kick off three weeks of our favourite mechanics in board games with Neilan's pick, hidden information. We also talk about Omen: Fires in the East, Gaia Project, and Pioneer Days.

]]>59:56cleanfull#12: More Isn't Always BetterThu, 03 May 2018 09:00:00 +0000This week, we explain and expound our experiences with expansions. Improvements, tweaks, variability: the benefits are clear, but what does tacking more onto a game mean for all your players? Is it always a good thing? How much is too much? Before we get there, we discuss Altiplano, Omen: A Reign of War, Felicity: The Cat in the Sack, and A Feast for Odin.

]]>This week, we explain and expound our experiences with expansions. Improvements, tweaks, variability: the benefits are clear, but what does tacking more onto a game mean for all your players? Is it always a good thing? How much is too much? Before we get there, we discuss Altiplano, Omen: A Reign of War, Felicity: The Cat in the Sack, and A Feast for Odin.

]]>58:00cleanfeast,felicity,omen,odin,expansions,altiplanofull#11: Heavy is the Head that Wears the CrownThu, 26 Apr 2018 07:54:58 +0000Why is everything so heavy? Well, we all played Dominant Species together, and so we're in a heavy sort of mood. There's a very vocal subset of the community that'll insist a game isn't worth playing unless it's mechanics are punching above a certain weight. But, surely there's room in a collection for the light games, the easy games, the so-called gateway games? We hash it out, but before we get into Dominant Species and games of its ilk, we revisit Codenames, Pictomania, Clank! and take a first look at The 7th Continent.

]]>Why is everything so heavy? Well, we all played Dominant Species together, and so we're in a heavy sort of mood. There's a very vocal subset of the community that'll insist a game isn't worth playing unless it's mechanics are punching above a certain weight. But, surely there's room in a collection for the light games, the easy games, the so-called gateway games? We hash it out, but before we get into Dominant Species and games of its ilk, we revisit Codenames, Pictomania, Clank! and take a first look at The 7th Continent.

]]>54:39cleanheavy,continent,species,7th,dominant,clank,codenamesfull#10: Everyone is Wrong and We are RightThu, 19 Apr 2018 09:00:00 +0000Did you know that sometimes the internet is wrong? Thankfully we're here to tell you what's up, and right the wrongs that BoardGameGeek hath wrought. You see, there are some games in their database that are just ranked way too low for how good they are. So, to fix these injustices, we each count down our top five games that BoardGameGeek got wrong, and we got right. Skip the timecodes if you don't want spoilers!

]]>Did you know that sometimes the internet is wrong? Thankfully we're here to tell you what's up, and right the wrongs that BoardGameGeek hath wrought. You see, there are some games in their database that are just ranked way too low for how good they are. So, to fix these injustices, we each count down our top five games that BoardGameGeek got wrong, and we got right. Skip the timecodes if you don't want spoilers!

]]>52:31clean5,top,rankings,boardgamegeekfull#9: PhD in LegacyThu, 12 Apr 2018 17:31:18 +0000Legacy. What is a legacy? It's podcasting in a studio you don't get to see. And now that I've drawn in all the Hamilton fans, let's talk about board games! Specifically, board games that have campaigns or legacy components. Is it a gimmicky trend, or does it add something meaningful to an experience? We also talk about Alchemists, Inis, and Through The Desert ... and on top of all that, we have a special announcement!

]]>Legacy. What is a legacy? It's podcasting in a studio you don't get to see. And now that I've drawn in all the Hamilton fans, let's talk about board games! Specifically, board games that have campaigns or legacy components. Is it a gimmicky trend, or does it add something meaningful to an experience? We also talk about Alchemists, Inis, and Through The Desert ... and on top of all that, we have a special announcement!

]]>57:54nodesert,the,games,board,through,alchemists,inis,kiniziafull#8: Just DesertsThu, 05 Apr 2018 09:24:44 +0000Trapped on a desert island and forced to bring only five board games? We've all been there. And we're going back. To the island. The board game island. It's a question as old as time itself, a favourite philosophical discussion of great minds immemorial; if you had to pare your collection down to just five board games, to play for a very long time, which would they be? Avert your eyes from the timecodes if you want to listen unspoiled, but let's just say that you might be able to guess one or two.

]]>Trapped on a desert island and forced to bring only five board games? We've all been there. And we're going back. To the island. The board game island. It's a question as old as time itself, a favourite philosophical discussion of great minds immemorial; if you had to pare your collection down to just five board games, to play for a very long time, which would they be? Avert your eyes from the timecodes if you want to listen unspoiled, but let's just say that you might be able to guess one or two.

]]>55:04cleanfull#7: Kicking and Screaming Wed, 28 Mar 2018 20:16:41 +0000Kickstarters. Can't live with 'em, can't rampantly overspend on incomplete unorthodox game designs without 'em. They're clearly a major force in the board game hobby, but are they a force for good, or for evil? Before we wrestle with that, we talk about the games we've been playing, namely, Imperius, A Tale of Pirates, and Heroes of Land, Air & Sea.

]]>Kickstarters. Can't live with 'em, can't rampantly overspend on incomplete unorthodox game designs without 'em. They're clearly a major force in the board game hobby, but are they a force for good, or for evil? Before we wrestle with that, we talk about the games we've been playing, namely, Imperius, A Tale of Pirates, and Heroes of Land, Air & Sea.

]]>58:01nofull#6: Today's Theme: PronunciationThu, 22 Mar 2018 00:54:55 +0000Our feature topic this week is theme. How important is the theme of a board game to you? Does it affect your enjoyment of a game? What games best utilize their theme to put a neat little bow on their mechanics? We talk about all this (and more!!!) after a quick look at our week in games, which includes Tash Kalar, Krazy Wordz, Kanban, and The Mind.

]]>Our feature topic this week is theme. How important is the theme of a board game to you? Does it affect your enjoyment of a game? What games best utilize their theme to put a neat little bow on their mechanics? We talk about all this (and more!!!) after a quick look at our week in games, which includes Tash Kalar, Krazy Wordz, Kanban, and The Mind.

]]>49:02nofull#5: It's Good To Be KingmakerFri, 16 Mar 2018 01:30:24 +0000Kingmaking is our feature topic this week. If you can't win, what's your responsibility as a good player? It's a complex, divisive topic, but then, we're complex, divisive people. We also talk about Wyatt Earp, Coffee Roaster, and El Grande.

]]>Kingmaking is our feature topic this week. If you can't win, what's your responsibility as a good player? It's a complex, divisive topic, but then, we're complex, divisive people. We also talk about Wyatt Earp, Coffee Roaster, and El Grande.

]]>52:45nofull#4: Buy Buy BuyThu, 08 Mar 2018 03:11:06 +0000How many board games do you need? If you're Mark, you need them all. Before we get there though, we also talk about what we've been playing, namely, John Company, Coffee Roaster, Adrenaline and Innovation.

]]>How many board games do you need? If you're Mark, you need them all. Before we get there though, we also talk about what we've been playing, namely, John Company, Coffee Roaster, Adrenaline and Innovation.

]]>47:00nofull#3: Double DragonflyWed, 28 Feb 2018 21:48:24 +0000Rising Sun! Everyone's talking about it, and so must we. It's our feature topic this week, but first, a brief look at what else we've been playing: Spirit Island, Hardback and Decrypto. We close the show with a look ahead to what we're hoping to play.

]]>Rising Sun! Everyone's talking about it, and so must we. It's our feature topic this week, but first, a brief look at what else we've been playing: Spirit Island, Hardback and Decrypto. We close the show with a look ahead to what we're hoping to play.

]]>52:34nofull#2: Catching Trains and Mathing TradesThu, 22 Feb 2018 00:41:46 +0000We talk about what we've been playing (1830, Archipelago and Gaia Project), we dive deep into math trading for board games, and close out with what we're looking forward to in the weeks ahead.

]]>45:20nogames,fun,gaming,game,board,tabletop,boardgames,boardgamefull#1: I'm Not Upset, I'm Just DisappointedThu, 15 Feb 2018 03:15:24 +0000We each talk about a game we liked from 2017, a game that let us down, and what we're looking forward to in 2018, including When I Dream, Gloomhaven, Charterstone, Battle For Rokugan, and more.